[Random Melody]

Kion gave a relieved smile when Atazi agreed, and opened his mouth to speak, ready to lead the way back to Pride Rock. But the words died on his tongue instantly when Atazi started speaking again. And all it took was for her to say that one name. Lucifer. The tiger that had stripped away his innocence, his defiance, his... Everything, and made him into a broken, hollow, submissive slave. Kion steeled himself. Shoulders locking, ears flattening down against his head, his tail whisking between his legs, curling around one paw. His amber gaze seemed to sharpen, staring at Atazi, yet not really seeing her. It'd been a while since he'd heard his name. He thought it, hell, he couldn't help that. But hearing it out loud sent that familiar, cold fear through him.

Bunga paused, his teal eyes flickering from Kion to Atazi and back again. He blinked when Atazi asked if Kion knew a "Lucifer". Lucifer? That's a weird name. "Who's Lucifer?" He asked curiously. A frightening, awful tiger. That just made him more curious. What was so frightening about a tiger? Pff. His gaze flickered over to Kion, starting to speak again, but paused when he saw his best friend's reaction. Okay, that was definitely weird. "Kion?" He asked carefully, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The touch brought Kion out of his trance, jerked him back into reality. It took everything he had not to flinch away, though. He paused, his amber eyes darting warily toward Bunga. "M'fine." He replied carefully, then closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and turning back to Atazi. "Yeah, I... I know M--" He cut off, shoulders tensing again. "Lu--" He couldn't seem to get either name out. He didn't want to call Lucifer "Master", not in front of Bunga. Because Bunga had no idea. And Bunga couldn't have any idea because he'd just go off and tell everybody else and then it'd all go to hell. And he was definitely not saying "Lucifer". He'd learned his lesson with that one. His tail flicked almost irritably, but stayed wrapped around his back paw until he forced himself to whisk it away to stand straight again. "I know him." He finally managed to speak, keeping his voice steady, careful, almost blank. "..Know of him." He corrected himself with a quick glance toward Bunga. Then, his gaze flickered up toward Atazi. She knew him. Hell, from what she said, Lucifer had stripped her innocence away too. And a cub... Kion nearly shuddered at the thought. He didn't know if he would have been able to handle it and he was glad he didn't have to. He just felt really bad for Atazi. A cub. A reminder of... Of that. And Atazi certainly hadn't deserved to go through that, either. The cub stayed silent for a moment, then his gaze flickered away, unconsciously looking toward the desert. He paused, then immediately forced his gaze away, straightening up again, shaking out his fur, and turning away. "Come on."